I'd Lie
by SparkleBOT
Summary: Bella and Edward had been best friends since they were in diapers, but what happens when Bella starts to feel something more than friendship toward Edward? All Human: One-Shot: AU: Song-fic.


**Hello to people who clicked on my story. Thank-you and I hope you enjoy the ride through this. Everyone's human and in high school; it's basically a love story with the Twilight characters and, oh yeah, it's based off of Taylor Swift's popular song "I'd Lie." Please give me a chance; I'm trying really hard not to make this boring and predictable. But you be the judge. Flames are accepted.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things Twilight and Taylor Swift owns the song, lyrics, and anything else I forgot to mention. No copyright intended, this is just for my own personal enjoyment.**

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**BPOV  
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I'd Lie  
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_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep._

Ugh. Who invented alarm clocks anyway? All they do is wake you up from nice dreams and make you grouchy. Nobody needed them at all. What was the point of waking up for school anyway?

_Edward will be at school and you'll be able to see him._

That got me up. You might be wondering what that was just now. Well, if you must know, that is the smart part of my brain that always argues with me. I know it may seem weird but my conscious - as I like to call it - makes very good points.

Anyway, back to the problem at hand. What to wear for school?

I caught myself thinking like that again and sighed. I remember the days when Edward and I were just best friends having fun and nothing more. Then, out of nowhere, on my seventh birthday, I started to realize that I liked Edward. A lot. I started to worry about my weight, what I wore, how I looked, how I smelled. It was a disaster. Just imagine a _seven-year-old_ girl worrying about that. I mean, girls are not supposed to worry about that stuff until they're at least eleven, but I got it at _seven_! It totally sucked.

I got up from bed and went to my closet, shutting off the alarm clock on my way. My closet was filled with many different styles of clothes. I had designer - which I had been forced to buy by Alice, Edward's little sister - all the way to sweats. And of course, there were my "I-want-Edward-to-notice-me" clothes, too. Those clothes always had something green on them. Reason: It was Edward's favorite color

After a lot of debate between a pair of normal pants with a mini-skirt, I got the normal pants, a lime green tee, and headed toward my bathroom. There was no reason to freeze my but off in the Chicago winter. I stepped into the hot shower and let its sprays and my strawberry shampoo relax me.

When I was done, I quickly stepped out and wrapped one of the big, puffy towels around myself. I changed almost mechanically and looked in the mirror. I dried my hair until it was pin straight and put on a little of make-up. I know it didn't make sense to put it on when odds were that it would be freezing and snowing outside, but ever since I was allowed to wear make-up I put it on in hopes that Edward would notice me as more than just his friend.

I shook my head and ran back to my room to get my books and coat. After I finished battling with my coat - _green_ - and got it on me, I heard a honk from outside. I broke out into a stupid grin as I sprinted down the stairs. I bit my lip to hide my smile and I walked outside the door.

The wind and snow blew in my face as I tried to lock my front door. I turned around when I noticed Edward was in the driver's seat of his car, engine still on. I shook my head and went over to the driver's side of his silver Volvo. I tapped on his window and motioned for him to roll down it down. He complied and turned to me, his expression confused.

"What are you doing, Bella? Get in; it's freezing," he said, still confused as ever.

"Nuh uh, Edward." I shook my head. "You promised me that we could take my car and let me drive." I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "You didn't forget, did you?"

His eyes widened before his jaw set into a stubborn frown. "No way. I didn't promise anything like that!"

"Sure you did," I explained. "Remember Friday after school?" I raised one eyebrow as he nodded reluctantly. "I bet that I could eat the whole pizza box as long as I got to drive us to school on Monday. You didn't believe me, but I did it."

"But you puked!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't count!"

"I never said I couldn't puke it back out, as long as I _ate_ it. Which I did." I backed away from his car. "Now get out of your car and get into mine. I don't want to freeze on our last year of high school and have to face the student body as a Bella-Popsicle."

He groaned and reluctantly shut off his engine, stepping out of his car and heading for my red BMW - I think; I know jack about cars so I'm just going by what my friend Rosalie tells me it is.

I smiled and practically skipped to my car. The snow was going away, but the wind was still going strong so when I was inside the comfort of my car I turned the heat on high. I started the car and reluctantly looked at Edward.

He looked stunning - like always - but was it really fair that he just made my car... better? I've had a lot of people in my passenger seat - from Alice to my dad, Charlie - but it had never looked this good. Even if my car was an, I don't know, beaten-up old truck, I think if Edward was seated in the passenger seat you could make anyone buy it for crazy amounts of money.

He turned to look at me and smiled, argument forgotten. But that was Edward. He always loved to argue and wasn't afraid to show his opinion or side of the story. Besides, he mostly forgot and forgave anybody he was arguing with him after a few short minutes.

I smiled back at him and backed out of my driveway. Ever since we both got our licenses, we had always carpooled. At first we didn't want to - well, _I_ did but I had to pretend I didn't - but when Alice suddenly went "Green" and threatened us, we complied. Needless to say, Alice didn't last a month and was soon driving all over the place again. Edward and I, however, had gotten used to the carpool and kept doing it.

"What did you do last night? I heard Alice went crazy or something." I smirked, knowing exactly what happened when people were around and Alice got a bit crazy. Let me tell you one word if you're ever in that situation: RUN!

"How'd you know?" He turned his head toward me and I got lost in the pools of liquid emerald that were his eyes.

I shrugged, still looking into his eyes and trying to name the different colors of green in them.

_Pay attention to what he's saying; you're looking like an idiot just staring. Pay attention to the road or something!_

I smiled and turned my eyes back to the road in front of me, hoping that Edward didn't see my staring. That would be so embarrassing!

"Well, I wouldn't say crazy is the right word..." Edward hesitated as he looked back at me.

I forced my eyes to maintain on the road as Edward talked. "Why not?" I asked when he didn't start the conversation again. "Did Alice go overboard or something? That must have been quite a night!"

"No, not really." He seemed to hesitate but continued anyway. "It's just that Jasper didn't give Alice her 'Three-years-and-two-months' anniversary present and she kind of freaked out. She was rambling about him going to break-up with her and how she was the one that was going to have to break it off so she wouldn't look bad." He shook his head. "After crying down the phone to Jasper about not leaving her, Alice calmed down enough to hear Jasper explain that their anniversary was next week." He chuckled quietly to himself. "What some people will do for love."

I wasn't sure if I heard him right but I didn't have time to process anything before I blurted out, "You've never been in love?"

My eyes widened as I stared at the road and pulled into the school parking lot. I did _not_ just say that out loud! Did I? Oh, god! I felt the heat creep up my neck onto my face and I made the mistake to look at Edward.

He had one eyebrow raised at me but before I could tell him to forget about it, he answered.

"No, I've never been in love." He ran his fingers through his hair like he usually did when he was nervous. But why should _he_ be nervous? _I'm_ the one that asked. "And I never will be."

I stared after him as he got out of my car and started walking toward the school. I hadn't even noticed we were on campus. I don't even remember the ride!

I shook my head and blinked rapidly to stop the waterfall of tears that were threatening to spill. I sniffled. I always knew he never loved me; we were just friends in his eyes. But it never stopped that hope that maybe, just maybe, he might have felt the same way that I felt about him. And now that hope was crushed as soon as those words left his lips.

I laughed at myself and hoped - with all my heart, body, and soul - that he was wrong. That he was lying.

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

The school day passed in a blur up until Music class. My only class with Edward.

As Mr. Varner, our teacher, called attention to class, I noticed Edward sitting across the room from me in his assigned seat and smiled at him. He smiled back but turned his attention to Mr. Varner.

"Alright, class," Mr. Varner bellowed to the classroom. "As some of you may have heard, our school is holding a talent show." Some students grunted in agreement but most of them just looked bored out of their minds. We hardly ever did anything in this class. "And since the talent show doesn't usually have many participants, I agreed with Principle Mack that the Music students should all try out. We certainly have many talents in our class."

That statement got the attention of our class.

"E-excuse me, Mr. Varner. But what did you just say?" someone from behind me asked. I didn't really turn to see who it was - because at the moment I was staring at Mr. Varner, jaw open, like he had grown a second head - but it sounded male.

"I said that you're all going to try out for the talent show," Mr. Varner said.

"I won't do it!" Jessica Stanley shouted from the second row of desks.

"It's mandatory, Miss Stanley. Besides, I'm taking a grade off of it." Mr. Varner crossed his arms on his chest and looked around the room, challenging anyone to object to his rules.

Everyone sighed simultaneously as we realized that we weren't going to get out of the talent show. As far as I could tell, this school had never had any good talent shows. It was mostly due to the fact that any one that actually had a talent didn't want to audition, but that's beside the point. The talent shows always sucked and now we were all going to be forced into it. The auditions, at least.

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"Think. Think. Think." I continued to grumble to myself as I chewed on my pencil. I had decided about an hour after I got home that I was going to sing for my talent.

I had taught myself how to sing and how to play guitar when I was twelve and ever since then I had written my own songs. It had been a long time since I'd even picked up my pencil and written something but I needed a new song. All of my other songs were too childish and I didn't think I'd be able to hit the high notes like I used to.

So that meant I _needed_ a new song! Easier said than done.

I had been sitting on my bed for a long time now trying to find a way to sum up how my life was. It wasn't working.

I groaned loudly and threw one of the throw pillows - no pun intended - across the room. I closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands. This wasn't working.

_That's a very smart observation, Bella. Good job._

Okay, I was _sooo_ not in the mood for my crazy conscious.

_But a smarter observation might have been the one about the person in your room!_

What? Person in my room? I really had gone crazy. I sighed and opened my eyes only to jump about ten feet in the air when I saw a face staring back at me no more than five inches away from my face.

"Alice," I choked out. "What are you doing here? You could have given me a heart attack." I clutched my heart in a miserable attempt to slow it down as Alice's tinkling laugh filled my room. "Not funny."

"Oh, yes it is!" Alice bellowed. "You should have seen your face! Priceless!" She continued to laugh as I glared at her.

After a few minutes and a lot of laughing on Alice's part, she finally calmed down.

"Okay, Alice. What are you doing here?" I was annoyed at her and I really needed to get back to work on this song. We only had two weeks until the talent show audition and I really needed to get this song right or I was going to make a fool out of myself in front of the whole school - more importantly, _Edward_.

"I came to drag you over to my house, silly." She stood up from the bed and pulled on my arm. "Come on."

I sighed and left my things on the bed when I stood up. When Alice wanted something, there was no choice but to do it. She threw my coat at me as she put on hers and then linked our arms together. Since Alice was Alice and she had been my friend almost as long as Edward had, Charlie didn't even look up from his game as Alice and I walked out the door.

"I heard about the talent show thing. It must suck," Alice said as she turned on her precious yellow Porsche.

"It does," I mumbled as we wove through the streets of Chicago to the Cullen household.

Alice had always been my friend but never like Edward. You see, she was one year younger than us so it wasn't until I was in third grade when I finally became her friend. She was always there for me for all the things that I couldn't talk to Edward about, and even though I was older, she usually took control of everything we did.

Alice was the reason I even had so many clothes in my closet and the reason I knew how to do my make-up properly without poking my eyes out. She truly was a great friend.

But no matter how good she was to me or what she did, I was always secretly jealous of her. She had deep blue eyes that you could practically swim in and a spiky halo of black hair. She was always tiny and extremely skinny but she pulled it off. She was beautiful and was in the perfect relationship. Her and her boyfriend, Jasper Hale, had been going out for three years and you could practically feel love oozing out of them.

I would never be able to say anything like that.

As we pulled up to Alice and Edward's mansion of a house, it was easy to tell that they had company. From the living room window, I could see six respectable blobs bopping around and two extra cars than usual in the Cullen's driveway.

Wait. _Six?_ That could only mean...

"They're back?" I whispered to Alice as we walked up her porch steps.

She smiled and nodded, opening the door to reveal six familiar and warm faces.

"Bella!" Emmett boomed before he tackled me in one of his spine breaking hugs. "I missed you!"

"Can't... breath!" I choked.

"Sorry," he laughed when he had set me down on my feet.

I chuckled. I small part of blond hair coming from behind Emmett caught my eye so I pushed him aside. There, standing in front of me, was the perfect Rosalie Hale.

"Rose!" I ran to her and wrapped my arms around her waist as she did the same to me.

I stepped away from Rosalie to look at her and smiled. I hadn't seen my friends in months and I really missed them.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked Emmett and Rosalie. They had moved away from home and gone off to college together after they graduated from school. Jasper, Rosalie's twin, would have gone to college with them if it wasn't for the fact that leaving for college would mean leaving Alice. Everyone had missed them terribly but we weren't expecting them to come up until Christmas vacation.

"We decided to start our Christmas a little early because we needed a brake from all the demanding work that comes from going to college," Emmett explained.

I rolled my eyes at him. "They kicked you out of the dorms, didn't they?" Rosalie and Emmett's relationship was very... um... _physical_ and I was having my doubts about them even making it through the semester without getting into trouble, starting a fight, or getting kicked out.

"How does everyone know that?!" Emmett growled toward the sky. He stomped his foot on the ground and went to rest on the couch. Everyone laughed while Rosalie rolled her eyes and went to go sit on his lap.

When everyone calmed down, we went to go sit in the living room to tell stories. I sat down next to Alice and Jasper and noticed Edward sitting next to his father, Carlisle Cullen, and mother, Esme Cullen. Both Carlisle and Esme both looked very young and beautiful considering they were getting closer to forty with every day. Sitting next to each other like that, I noticed that Edward and Carlisle had the same shade of eyes. It wasn't an important fact, but it did hold my attention. I had never noticed before.

"Who wants to hear college stories?" Emmett asked excitedly, looking at each of us. Considering this was Emmett and Rosalie we were talking about and knowing their past for "stories" usually consisted of a lot of mental images I wished I had never seen, I didn't want to hear anything.

"Not me," I pipped in before anyone could agree with the stories. "I still remember last time's story time." I shuddered, remembering things I should have never heard. All I'm going to say is that Emmett was but naked and there was a bear suit in his room. Enough said.

I saw Alice shudder slightly as she remembered too before agreeing with me. "Yeah. No story time for you, Emmett. I still have nightmares about that bear."

Everyone laughed while Emmett fumed silently, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the floor. "It was a good one, too," he grumbled.

Rosalie just rolled her eyes before looking at us. "What was it like without us around? Boring, I guess."

"Yeah, real boring," Alice agreed, plastering a fake smile on her face. Alice and I had both promised we would never tell anybody about what really happened when they left. In truth, Alice, Esme, and I cried for hours on end. I even saw Carlisle and Jasper shed a few tears. The only one who wasn't crying was Edward. I knew that deep, down inside Edward was crying for the loss of his older but just never showed it. He never liked to show any sign of weakness in front of other people. However, as soon as he was alone, he let some tears fall. I would have never known he even cried if it wasn't for the fact that I was passing his room and heard him. It really broke my heart; Edward should never be in pain.

Rosalie didn't seem to see through Alice's lie so we told school stories and how there never was an Emmett to make everything happy. When she got to the part about the talent show, Emmett was mocking me and Edward for a long time and saying that it was a good thing they came home early; they'd be able to see it.

After a good hour of Emmett telling his stories - we finally let him tell them but didn't enjoy it; there was a fishbowl involved - he and Rosalie went to Rose's house, taking Jasper with them, to surprise their mom. Mr. and Mrs. Hale were really nice people - made great cookies, too - but I always preferred Carlisle and Esme over them. They were like my second parents.

Suddenly, something from the school day dawned on me. "Hey, Edward?" I asked as I saw him about to climb the stairs to his room.

"Yeah?" He looked down at me, confused.

"Do you have the English notes? I wasn't paying attention, but I did hear Mrs. Clark saying something about a quiz tomorrow about today's notes. I don't want to flunk." I smiled up at him, pleading.

He smiled and motioned for me to go with him up to his room. "You can copy my notes. Come on, they're in my room."

I followed him up the stairs, two steps behind. Once he closed the door behind me, he headed straight for his stereo. Edward had always loved all kinds of music but I knew all his favorites. I could put all of his CD's and songs in order from favorite to least down to the point.

After he picked out a country song - he's never really liked country, that was my thing, but he seemed to be liking it more nowadays - he walked to his closet and fished out his book bag. He handed me his notes, paper, and a pen. I smiled as I started copying the notes in my messy handwriting.

After I finished copying the notes, I folded my paper and put it in my pocket. I looked up to find Edward looking out his window with unseeing eyes. He was thinking; about what, I don't know, but I had seen that expression his face enough to know he was thinking real hard about something.

I felt my gaze soften as a small smile played on his lips and I couldn't help but wonder.

Edward and I had been connected from the hip ever since we were in diapers. Charlie and Carlisle had met at a charity, and when they became quick friends, they always put Edward and me together. Soon, my playmate turned into my friend, and my friend turned into my best friend, and soon that best friend turned into my secret love.

I had always wanted to tell Edward the truth, but I was afraid. I was scared that if I told him that I loved him that he wouldn't feel the same way and that we couldn't be friends anymore. I still hadn't made up my mind whether taking the risk and telling how I felt was worth losing my best friend, but I was thinking about it.

Every day, I think about Edward. About how sweet and charming and beautiful he is; and I think about the risks and consequences of telling him. I had been thinking like this for years and my mind still wasn't made up.

Edward turned to look at me and smiled more profoundly. I looked back at him, smiling, wishing that he somehow knew how I really felt about him and that he would feel the same way.

But the teasing look in his eyes told me he didn't know.

_Not yet he didn't._

"What are you going to do for the talent show?" he asked walking toward me and taking his things out of my hands.

"I don't know. I was thinking about writing a new song and performing it, but I still have to make the lyrics." I smiled at him, trying to hide my small heartbreak at the thought that he didn't love anyone. That included me. "Are you going to play the piano?" I smirked at him. "Or the guitar?"

"Shhh!" he whisper shouted. "You know perfectly well I don't play guitar!"

I smirked even wider, teasing him. Edward was always a piano prodigy - he took lessons for years - but he hated all the attention he got whenever he played. When I started to teach myself how to play guitar, Edward was always in my room, watching me get it wrong over and over again. After I had finally mastered the guitar, I was pretty damn proud. I was now able to do something that Edward couldn't do. I was trying to show off, so I asked Edward to play the guitar a little. I wanted to see him make a mistake and have me help him. But that didn't happen. Edward took the guitar from my hands and strummed a few notes perfectly. I stared at him and asked him how he did that and the only answer I got was that he had lessons on that, too, but he faked sucking at it so he wouldn't get attention. He'd never told anyone and I was the only who knew.

"Well, Bella, at least I wasn't the one trying to show off when we were twelve, now was I?" He smirked back at me as I blushed.

"I wasn't showing off," I argued, trying to keep the blush off my face.

"What else would you call it?" He was the one smiling now. "As far as you knew, I knew nothing about guitar."

"But you did know, so it doesn't count." I crossed my arms over my chest and mock glared at him.

"But it does count, Bella. See because there was no way of you knowing that I knew how to play, so you were setting me up." He smiled at me and I could feel the blush creeping up. How did he even remember all of this?

"But I did know," I lied quickly.

Edward raised one perfect eyebrow at me. "And how is that?"

I wiggled my arms and fingers out in front of me as I tried to imitate a carnival gypsy voice. "Because I know everything."

Edward laughed and shook his head. "I thought it was clear that the 'knowing everything' bit was my thing; not yours."

I faked a smile at his attempt at a joke. I guess you couldn't really call it a joke because Edward was kind of a know-it-all. He could look at the world in just black and white and still be able to see things no one else could pick up on. He could always tell when a girl had a crush on a boy or if a teacher was having personal problems. He was always able to see right through the heart of anything. Well, almost everything. He wasn't able to see into my heart no matter how much I wish he could.

"Bella! You better get home," Alice said as she entered the room. "I'm sure Charlie's gonna be worried if you don't go soon."

"I was actually just about to leave." I went to grab my coat after a quick "I'll see you in the car" from Alice.

Edward was looking at me until he met my gaze. I could tell that he wanted to say something but was deciding against it. I waited for him to talk, but he just walked out the door without even saying good-bye. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and shook my head.

I really was pathetic, wasn't I?

_Not pathetic. In love._

I internally scoffed. Love didn't excuse me from being pathetic in front of Edward. It could only be excused if he loved me too, which he didn't.

I walked out the door and into Alice's waiting Porsche.

"'Bout time you showed up!" Alice exclaimed, throwing the car in reverse and flying out into the now dark streets of Chicago. "It's freezing and I really want to get you home so we can start that slumber party!"

"Slumber party? Who said anything about a slumber party?" I asked, staring at Alice in disbelief.

"I did, just now. You invited me." She smiled a wide smile, never taking her eyes off the road.

"I invited you for a slumber party?" This girl was making no sense. I hadn't even uttered the words "slumber party" in months!

"Why I'd love to have a slumber party at your house, Bella!" Alice chirped.

"You're not making any sense!" I shouted. This was getting real frustrating and I could already feel a headache coming on.

"Look, Bella," Alice warned in her all-business voice. "You need a slumber party. I already invited Rose over to your house and she said yes. You need girl time and we're going to give you that. There's no way out of it."

I stared at Alice, my mouth hanging open. "You don't even have any clothes!"

"You didn't check the back seat, Bella."

I groaned and banged my head against the seat. There really was no way out.

We stayed silent the rest of the way to my house until we were parking. I waited for Alice to get her bag from the backseat - did it have to be so big? - and started heading toward the door. Before I could open the door, it was being ripped off its hinges by a very excited Rosalie. She ushered us into _my_ house and barely explained the sleepover to Charlie before he shook his head and told me that I was still going to school tomorrow, so not too late.

Alice and Rosalie forced me onto my bed before locking the door. That couldn't be a good sign.

I started playing with my fingers nervously as both of the girls sat at the foot of my bed, staring at me.

After a good minute spent in awkward silence, Rosalie cracked. "Alright, Bella, we could do this the easy way or the hard way but you're telling us."

I looked at Rosalie, completely and utterly confused. "Telling you about what?" I couldn't think of anything exciting that had happened to me.

Rosalie groaned. "About you and Edward of course!"

I flushed deep red at the thought of Edward. "We're just friends; you guys know that. Both of us don't feel anything like that for each other."

_Liar._

I had been really good at keeping my reactions and emotions for Edward completely hidden from the outside world, but I guess I slipped in front of my friends.

Rosalie pursed her lips and Alice raised an eyebrow. They didn't believe me.

I sighed. I was going to have to tell them. "He doesn't feel anything more than friendship," I said quietly, looking down at my hands and blinking rapidly to get rid of the traitor tears that threatened to spill.

I felt two pairs of arms wrap around me and looked up. Rosalie and Alice were smiling at me so I smiled back, feeling a little better.

"How do _you_ feel about him?" Alice asked in a soothing voice.

My smile faltered slightly and I bit my lip. I exhaled loudly and told them my feelings. If I didn't, they'd find out sooner or later and then come after me. "I-I love him."

"Have you told him?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to ruin my friendship with Edward. I really want to tell him, but I'm... I'm... scared."

"You have to tell him, Bella," Rosalie scolded.

"I don't know how." It wasn't a lie but the truth was I was just looking for a way out of the conversation.

Rosalie seemed thoughtful for a moment, but when she was about to speak Alice cut her off.

"The talent show!" Alice squealed.

Huh? "What about the talent show, Alice?" I was feeling really nervous the more we continued to talk and I didn't like it.

"You said you were writing a new song and performing it, right Bella?" Okay, Alice was seriously freaking me out.

I nodded reluctantly, afraid of what the reaction to it might be.

"Well, don't you see?!" Alice was bouncing up and down now, barely able to contain her excitement. "We have Bella write and perform a song about her real feelings for Edward! It's brilliant! The best way to tell him!"

After half-a-second, Rosalie was jumping up and down too, saying over and over again that Alice was a genius. I just stared at them, not able to find my voice.

Finally, after much searching, I found it. "N-no way!" I shouted. "It'll be really embarrassing!"

Alice stopped her bounce and turned to glare at me. "You're doing it."

"But Alice - "

After one of her infamous super glares, I shut up. No matter how much I pleaded and begged, Alice was still going to make me do this.

"Alright, Bella," Alice called, back to being all super happy and hyper. "Tell me something about Edward from the top of your head."

"His birthday's on June seventeenth," I blurted out before I could think. My cheeks quickly changed color as I realized what I said.

"Yes," Rosalie pipped in. "You could use that as lyrics. We'll help you write it, Bella, don't you worry!"

How come I was already seething with worry?

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

_Two Weeks Later, Talent Show Audition_

_~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~_

I was going to kill Alice!

_Not if it works._

It can't work! He already said he didn't love anyone, that included me! I can't believe I let her talk me into this!

After that dreadful slumber party that happened two weeks ago, I had my song ready to play. It didn't take long to piece together everything about how I felt about Edward but it was still really embarrassing writing the lyrics with Rosalie and Alice breathing down my neck.

After that night, Edward and I had drifted apart a little. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that whenever I looked at Edward I thought of the song, and whenever I thought of the song I blushed.

The auditions for the talent show were being held in the "Stage Room" and anyone was open to come and watch. Out of some strange token of luck, I got to perform last. That was both good and bad. It was good because that meant more people would leave and wouldn't see me. But it was bad because Edward wouldn't be backstage with all the other people who hadn't auditioned yet; he would be in the audience.

So far there was only one other person to go before I had to go embarrass myself onstage. Most of the class had done... okay. Not a lot of people even had something good, but at least we got good laughs out of it. The only performance that actually deserved the applause and more was Edward. He had gone onstage with a portable piano and played the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.

I was so lost in my day dreams that I was surprised when Mr. Varner started talking in his microphone.

"Thank you Miss Stanley for your entertaining jokes. Last but not least is... Miss Swan, please come take the stage."

I stepped out into the stage and looked out at the sea of people staring at me. What were they doing here? Wasn't everyone supposed to go already? I swallowed loudly and dragged my feet and guitar to the stool in the middle of the stage with a microphone stand in front of it.

I sat down and looked again to the crowd when I caught Edward's gaze. He smiled an encouraging smile at me and gave me the thumb's up. I smiled back as my hands started to sweat. This wasn't a good idea.

"Miss Swan, you may start when you're ready," Mr. Varner said into his microphone and leaned back in his chair.

I took a deep breath and turned my face to speak into the mic, my hands on the guitar. "This song was inspired by someone very close to me." My voice sounded throughout the room as I started to play.

_"I don't think that passenger seat_

_Has ever looked this good to me._

_He tells me about his night._

_And I count the colors in his eyes."_

I kept my eyes down as I sang, too embarrassed to look at Edward.

_"'He'll never fall in love' he swears,_

_As he runs his fingers through his hair._

_I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong._

_And I don't think it ever crossed his mind."_

Finally, I swallowed my fears and raked the crowd for Edward. When I found him, he smiled at me, encouraging me. He still didn't get it. I kept my eyes on him as I out all the emotion I could muster in the rest of the song.

_"He tells a joke,_

_I fake a smile._

_But I know all his favorite songs."_

I saw a look of confusion spread on Edward's face but he still didn't get it.

_"And I could tell you:_

_His favorite color's green._

_He loves to argue._

_'Born on the seventeenth._

_His sister's beautiful._

_He has his father's eyes._

_And if you ask me if I love him,_

_I'd lie."_

Edward's eyes widened as he looked back at me and stared. I blushed, but smiled. I just stared back at him as I spilled my heart out in front of me.

_"He looks around the room,_

_Innocently overlooks the truth._

_Shouldn't a light go on?_

_Doesn't he know, that I've had it memorized for so long?_

_He sees everything in black and white._

_Never let nobody see him cry._

_I don't let nobody see me,_

_Wishing he was mine!_

_I could tell you._

_His favorite color's green._

_He loves to argue._

_'Born on the seventeenth._

_His sister's beautiful._

_He has his father's eyes._

_And if you ask me if I love him,_

_I'd lie."_

I smiled even larger as I stared right at Edward, winking shyly.

_"He stands there then walks away._

_My god, if I could only say,_

_'I'm holding every breath for you.'"_

I smiled teasingly at Edward as the lyrics from the next verse sounded.

_"He'd never tell you,_

_But he can play guitar._

_I think he can see through everything,_

_But my heart."_

I closed my eyes and started swaying to the beat of the music, smiling and singing.

_"First thought when I wake up is,_

_'My God, he's beautiful.'_

_So I put on my make-up,_

_And pray for a miracle."_

I opened my eyes again locked my gaze with Edward's.

_"Yes, I could tell you._

_His favorite color's green._

_He loves to argue._

_Oh, and it kills me._

_His sister's beautiful._

_He has his father's eyes._

_And if you ask me if I love him..._

_If you ask me if I love him,_

_I'd lie."_

Edward was looking at me in wonder and I smiled.

_Whatever happens, you told him. Remember that._

The room erupted in applause and I blushed. If I was being honest, I completely lost the knowledge that Edward and I were in public. For at least a second, I could have sworn we were alone.

"Thank you Miss Swan," Mr. Varner spoke. "Everyone may go. The results will be placed on Monday morning in the main office. Have a good day." He was gathering his things as I turned to go backstage.

When I was alone in the dark behind the curtain, I took off my guitar strap and set it in its case. As I finished packing up, a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Bella," Edward breathed on my neck. Were did he come from? I turned around when suddenly Edward's arms were wound around my waist and his lips were on mine.

I was surprised, to say the least, but greedily kissed him back as I knotted my fingers through his disheveled bronze locks.

When we pulled, Edward rested his forehead against mine, his breathing still ragged and eyes closed. He had a small smile on his lips and that was enough for me to get over my shyness.

"Edward," I whispered. He opened his eyes and smiled even wider. "I meant it, Edward," I continued. "I really do love you."

"And I love you, Bella," he whispered. "I always have."

My brow furrowed. "But you said you didn't love anyone. That you we never going to fall in love."

"Lies," he murmured while kissing my palm. "I was afraid that you didn't feel the same, so I lied when the truth was that I loved you ever since we were children."

I smiled a goofy smile and returned my lips to his.

It worked. Alice's plan really worked. I love her! She's the one that made this possible and Rosalie, too! I have the best friends ever!

_So I'm taking you're not going to kill them, right?_

"I love you," Edward murmured against my lips.

I smiled into the kiss. "I love you, too." If this was what my life was, I'm not complaining.

Having Edward as a boyfriend was something I had dreamed and wished for years, and now it was finally coming true.

There was no more reason to lie to anyone who asked. I love Edward Cullen, and I'm proud of it.

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**Don't kill me! I know this totally sucked but I had to write it down**. **But there is good news: this is a one-shot so you don't have to witness anymore of it.**

**You can write all the flames you want - I'm fine with hard criticism - but if you like it please review and tell me. There might be mistakes all over the place and it might not make sense but all I'm going to say is that I wrote this at 3 in the morning and was half-asleep. I know it doesn't excuse anything but still.**

**P.S.: If you are a reader of my other story - The Academy - I'll update it soon.**

**P.S.S: Review?  
**


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